Hat crown



Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

0F CALIFORNIA.

UNITED STATES PATE-NT.OFFICIELg` EDWARD W. BULLARD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO PACIFIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION HAT CROWN.

Application led July 6, 1927. Serial No. 203,825.

My invention relates to hats, and more especially to safety hats adapted to protect the wearer from injury by falling objects.

An object of the invention is to provide a hat crown made up of a pair of identical sections of such design that quantity production under factory methods is facilitated, requiring a minimum of expensive hand performed operations. j

Another object is the provision of a hat crown made up of sections adapted to be so secured together that the finished crown is stronger and more rigid than would be the case if the hat crown were fashioned from a single piece, and thus offer a greater degree of protection to the wearer.

The invention possesses other objects, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit my self to the showing made by the said drawings and description, as I may adopt variations of the preferred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a safety hat incorporating the crown of my invention, the view being taken in the longitudinal median plane.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the hat of Figure 1, parts thereof being broken away to reveal the construction. j

Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the crown sections.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of a portion of one of the crown sections, the plane of section being indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

In terms of broad inclusion, the invention comprises a hat crown so constructed of a plurality of sections of light, non-metallic material as to afford a maximum degree of protection to the wearer from thrown or falling objects. The sections are provided with a flange bent at right angles to the adjacent surface and along an entire edge of each section for securing them together to form a rigid crown, and these ianges, in the finished product, serve as a strengthening rib, with the result that the crown provides more of a protection than does a similar crown formed from a single piece.

wearer against injury by relatively heavy falling objects. For thispurpose I prefer to use hard compacted sheet ibre,.substan tially 33g of an inch in thickness, because it is tough, chemically inert, anda non-conductor of both heat and electricity, and because it is possessed of a high degree of rigidity when formed into one of my hat crown sections such as shown 1n Figure 3.

These sections may be formed by steaming a suitable blank of such material, which may then be pressed into the desired shape. To facilitate such pressing, that portion of the blank which, is to form the body 6 of the crown section is provided in its lower edge with a notch 7 having the edges 8 and 9. When the section is pressed into shape, the edges 8, 9 of the notch are adapted to overlap each other while the stitching 11 through the overlapping edges holds the section in shape by holding the notch 7 closed. It it is desired to vary the size of the section and thus the size of the hat, the degreevof overlapping may be adjusted in accordance with the size wanted, by either removing the stitches and restitching in a different position or by fastening the edges of the notch by means of a clasp or buckle. Each section is provided with a flange 152 upturned from its upper edge and at an angle approximately 90 to the surface adjacent the edge and these iianges also provide means for the convenient assembly of the hat crown, which may be accomplished by unitiner the sections by the stitches 13 through the flanges 12 of the abutting sections 6. A strip 14 of relatively pliable material, such as rubber or leather, is engaged between the Hanges to make the crown water roof. It is thus seen that the abutting anges of the hat crown sections serve as a strengthening rib in the assembled crown.

The crown is then ready to have the brim 16 attached. This brim is preferably of the saine material as the crown, and may be similarly formed, after which it is secured to the crown, preferably by the stitches 17. The juncture of the brim and crown may then be Waterproofed by covering Witha suitable tape 18, which. should extend high enough on the eide of the crown to cover the closed notches 7. The outer surface of the crown and both surfaces of the brim may then be covered with a seal coating` of Waterproof, non-conducting material, prei'- erably a paint with an aephaltic base. 4 The hat is then ready to have its flexible lining 2l attached. This lining is preferably of the form disclosed in my capending application, Serial Number 166,616, having; its lower edge 22 secured to the outside el? the brim, by the stitches 23 and its upper edge gathered by a draw-string;` 2l in the hem 2G to determine the position of the hat upon the Wearers head eo any blow received on the to of the hat will be distributed over the top olf the head.

Vhile I have described my hat crown as utilized to form a hat, I ain aware that it may also be applied to a cap, helmet, or any other torni ot headgear.

I claim:

l. In a safety hat, a Crown oit Semi-rigid material and comprising a plurality ot identical eections, a flange on an edge oi" each section integrally formed therewith, means passing thru said flanges for permanently securing` the sections together, and a Strip of relatively pliable material between said i'langes.

2. In a safety hat, a Crown of eeinirigrid material and Comprising a plurality of identical sections, a flange on au elige olf ea h section integrally termed therewitln means passing through said flanges lier permanently Securing` the Sections together9 and a strip oi? relatively pliable material between Said flanges, the eidee ol' the crown including flaps integral with the crown and secured in overlapping relationship.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto eet my hand.

EDlViRD lW. BULLrJD 

